Fresh Ideas by Anne Macquarie: Food Co-Op in Carson City?

Here's some of what used to be grown in Nevada - hay and grain for horses and mules, flour, potatoes, butter, cheese, milk and beef, fresh vegetables, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, apples and peaches.

This was back in the 19th century, when farmers, many of them recent immigrants with farming skills from old country, grew food to supply Nevada's mining boomtowns. Now Nevada imports almost all of the food we consume, some of it from halfway round the world.

But in Nevada and elsewhere, there's been a recent move toward consuming more locally grown food for environmental, health, security, and economic development reasons. Plus, it tastes good.

There are now at least three CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture - customers sign up to have local produce delivered to them throughout the growing season) and two farmer's markets supplying Carson City residents with local produce and agricultural products.

These outlets might soon be joined by a food co-op. The Capital City Circles Initiative, a local organization working to forge alliances to prevent poverty and homelessness, is exploring the idea of a community owned food cooperative in Carson City, to provide year-round access to organic and other high-quality food products.

I asked Gary Lyon, the Circles volunteer spearheading the project, about the relationship between helping people emerge from poverty and healthy eating. He told me Circles is interested in the food co-op idea for several reasons. First, part of the mission of food cooperatives is education - education about food, nutrition, and use and preparation of healthy, local produce, so Circles participants and others could learn how to feed their families in ways that are healthier but still affordable. Second, Circles participants may have the opportunity to gain work experience by working in the co-op. Additionally, membership in the co-op will be offered on a sliding scale based on income, resulting in lower costs for families living in poverty.

To the community at large, the co-op would offer access to a wider variety of local food products. These are more practical for a small food co-op to carry than a supermarket chain, since the products often aren't available in large quantities. This would benefit local farmers, he said, giving them a place to sell their products, especially produce that requires extra handling. The cooperative would also provide a stepping stone for local producers to test market their products.

On June 30 The Circles Initiative will host a meeting to determine community interest in the food co-operative. The meeting will be held at the Circles office at 800 E. College Parkway Suite 105 at 5:30 p.m. . or email Gary Lyon at galyon123@gmail.com, or (775) 841-1971 for more information.

• Anne Macquarie, a private sector urban planner, is a long-time resident of Carson City.